• The Greek Myths: Complete Edition by Robert Graves. In a work that has become a classic reference book for both the serious scholar and the casual inquirer, Graves retells the adventures of the important gods and heroes worshipped by the ancient Greeks. Each entry provides a full commentary which examines problems of interpretation in both historical and anthropological terms, and in light of contemporary research.
• Voice of the Goddess by Judith Hand. An epic story of grace, grandeur, betrayal, pride, and the enduring power of love. This extraordinary fiction immerses the reader in an ancient (3500-year-old) Mediterranean culture unlike any with which we are familiar. Until the discovery in the twentieth century of its spectacular ruins on the island of Crete, the existence of this society lay buried and forgotten by the world, perhaps remembered only as myth about a place called Atlantis.
• The Pericles Commission by Gary Corby. Nicolaos is an agent for the promising young politician Pericles, on a mission to find the assassin of the the man who brought democracy to Athens. Also on his mind is how to get closer to the intelligent and virgin priestess of Artemis, and how to shake off his irritating twelve year-old brother Socrates. In this historically rich novel, Classical Athens is brought vividly to life in a mystery engaging from the first page to last.
• Greece, A Love Story: Women Write about the Greek Experience by Camille Cusumano. In this eloquent collection, women share firsthand experiences of the people, history, and landscape of Greece. They share stories as visceral as they are poignant, as entertaining as they are endearing. Readers of this compelling collection will gain a better understanding of Greece and how experiences abroad can impact their lives.
• A Literary Companion to Travel in Greece by Richard Stoneman. In this wide-ranging anthology, Stoneman gathers a variety of responses evoked through the ages by the subtle stimulus of Greece. Arranged by locations, the selections lead the reader from the Ionian Islands to the Aegean, conjuring up the heat and beauty that have lured writers from Virgil to Henry Miller.
• Mythos by Stephen Fry. A modern collection of Greek myths, stylishly retold by a legendary writer, actor, and comedian, who transforms the adventures of Zeus and the Olympians into emotionally resonant and deeply funny stories, without losing any of their original wonder. Connoisseurs of the Greek myths will appreciate this fresh-yet-reverential interpretation, while newcomers will feel welcome, as the retellings brim with humor and emotion and offer rich cultural context.

• Zorba the Greek (1964) by Mihalis Kakogiannis. Basil (Alan Bates), a young English writer, meets a free-spirited Greek peasant named Zorba (Anthony Quinn) on the island of Crete. While Zorba pursues a relationship with aging French courtesan Madame Hortense (Lila Kedrova, who won an Oscar for her role), Basil attempts to court a young widow. Along the way, he learns valuable life lessons from the earthy Zorba, who has an unquenchable joie de vivre. Nominated for seven Academy Awards.
• Shirley Valentine (1989) by Lewis Gilbert. Pauline Collins reprises a role she originated onstage in this Academy Award-nominated drama about Shirley Valentine, a housewife who decides in her middle age that there's more to life than stifling domesticity. An unplanned trip to Greece with a friend expands her horizons in ways she could never have predicted, allowing her to fall in love again beyond the bounds of marriage, find herself and grab the reins of her future.
• My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) by Joel Zwick. Screenwriter Nia Vardalos also stars as Toula Portokalos, a single Greek woman who falls in love with a non-Greek (John Corbett), which is a no-no for members of her strict family -- particularly her traditional father (Michael Constantine), whose Greek pride knows no bounds. Andrea Martin shines in a hilarious supporting turn as Toula's aunt, who tries her best to charm Toula's fiancé (who's a vegetarian to boot!) with her delicious lamb.
• The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2008) by Ken Kwapis. Based on Anne Brashares's young-adult novel, this coming-of-age tale centers on four best friends (Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn and Blake Lively) who buy a mysterious pair of pants that fits each of them, despite their differing sizes, and makes whoever wears them feel fabulous. When faced with the prospect of spending their first summer apart, the pals decide they'll swap the pants so that each girl in turn can enjoy the magic.
• My Life in Ruins (2009) by Donald Petrie. Love takes root amid the ruins of ancient Greece in this rom-com starring Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Richard Dreyfuss and Rachel Dratch. Greek-American travel guide Georgia (Vardalos) is so distracted by what's going wrong as she leads a motley crew of tourists through some of Greece's most historic sites that she almost misses out on a chance for romance with her hunky bus driver (Alexis Georgoulis).
• Mamma Mia by Phyllida Lloyd is based on the 1999 musical of the same name. Set on a colorful Greek island, the plot serves as a background for a wealth of ABBA songs. Donna (Meryl Streep), an independent hotelier in the Greek islands, is preparing for her daughter's wedding with the help of two old friends. Meanwhile Sophie, the spirited bride, has a plan. She secretly invites three men from her mother's past in hope of meeting her real father and having him escort her down the aisle on her big day.

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